Umbrella Man: Suspicious

[Paul J Cummings]

But nobody here, not me in particular, said that it was a well known symbol of appeasement in Dallas (or anywhere in the US) at that time. So it's not surprising that only one person used it that way. My posts were in response to the original poster, Michael Griffith, and his claim that it was "absurd" that anyone would use the umbrella as a symbol for anything in protest (as Witt claimed). He said he never heard of its usage for such things.

But the links I provided show the origins of this symbol and how it came to be seen as a sign of appeasement in the UK in particular or weakness politically. In another link there was a story about some German students sending JFK umbrellas as criticism for his lack of response when the Soviets constructed the Berlin Wall.

There was nothing in the links about how popular the idea was and/or whether the Birchers/Klansman in Dallas (or elsewhere) knew that it could be used to heckle JFK because of his father's support for the appeasement policies of Chamberlain. Some people knew about it; but most probably didn't.

Apparently Witt knew something about its symbolism. As he testified:

Mr. GENZMAN. Why were you carrying an umbrella that day?
Mr. WITT. Actually, I was going to use this umbrella to heckle the President's motorcade.
Mr. GENZMAN, How had you gotten this idea?
Mr. WITT. In a coffee break conversation someone had mentioned that the umbrella was a sore spot with the Kennedy family. Being a conservative-type fellow, I sort of placed him in the liberal camp and I was just going to kind of do a little heckling.

We have Witt himself says he vaguely knew about the symbolism and how it was a "sore spot" with the Kennedys. So he decided to just heckle him with it. We have one person doing an odd thing. And LBJ knew about the symbolism too when in the campaign he directed a criticism at Kennedy Sr.

Y'know, not everything has to be jammed into the conspiracy against JFK? Sometimes a guy scratching his nose in a photo in Dealey Plaza is not a signal, it's just a guy with an itchy nose?

Besides his actual proof of being the "Umbrella Man" which he wasn't (Roy Hargraves) the believeability of actually saying he has the umbrella 15 years later is just another form of perjury.

[Jim Hawthorn]

The concept could have been...were more shots absolutely necessary?
Why take chances if no more were needed?
 Mr Gordon Arnold the US soldier back then who reported that....
.... there were guys behind the fence and one wore a police uniform....
You posted the video!
https://www.jfkassassinationforum.com/index.php/topic,3429.msg126511.html#msg126511

A gunman and an aid at the fence is something else. It's the umbrella man and DCM that I think had nothing to do with the conspiracy (which I think was a very small group and not a huge plot with many organisations involved).

[Jerry Freeman]

One comment...

This is precisely how they identified the Boston bombers. Walking away calmly in the midst of chaos.

[Charles Collins]

If I remember correctly the Boston bombers were identified by video of them carrying backpack(s) into the area.

[Steve M. Galbraith]

If I remember correctly the Boston bombers were identified by video of them carrying backpack(s) into the area.

Yes, and one of the victims - who lost both legs - identified one of them in a photo.

BTW, didn't Oswald quietly leave the scene too? I've read rumors about that. Something about leaving work without permission. Then found in a theater about an hour later with a loaded revolver and extra bullets.

Or was that Warrren Commission CIA/deep state lies?

[Paul J Cummings]

Yes, and one of the victims - who lost both legs - identified one of them in a photo.

BTW, didn't Oswald quietly leave the scene too? I've read rumors about that. Something about leaving work without permission. Then found in a theater about an hour later with a loaded revolver and extra bullets.

Or was that Warrren Commission CIA/deep state lies?

You forgot to mention he bought popcorn at the theatre

[Charles Collins]

Yes, and one of the victims - who lost both legs - identified one of them in a photo.

BTW, didn't Oswald quietly leave the scene too? I've read rumors about that. Something about leaving work without permission. Then found in a theater about an hour later with a loaded revolver and extra bullets.

Or was that Warrren Commission CIA/deep state lies?

Too bad there wasn’t a security camera in the second floor lunch room. I would have liked to see that encounter. Oh yeah, not very many security cameras in use back then….

Edit: And LHO was seen carrying a long package into the area…

[Jerry Organ]

I would assume lone TUMs would not raise their umbrellas in the crowds along Main. They might encounter some opposition' or be taken for weirdos. As it was, Witt was standing back from the sparse crowd, out of the sightline of those nearest him.

There was a mention on a Dallas blog (I have no link) that men carrying umbrellas were spotted at the Trade Mart. This would be a good area for multiple UMs to open their umbrellas in protest when the motorcade arrived. Maybe there was something about Love Field that didn't suit them.

Several white-power members known locally were arrested at the Trade Mart (it took the assassination for that to happen). The Umbrella protest was going to be a thing (like MAGA hats in 2016) for Republican Goldwaterites in 1964. The protest was just getting started in late-1963.

Witt said he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It happened to JFK and the PT109.